An electronic signature service is an online service that allows users to send electronic copies of contracts and other documents to one or more signatories. The electronic signature service may also allow individuals to access electronic copies of documents and to electronically sign the documents. For example, a user of an electronic signature service may upload a contract to the electronic signature service and specify individuals who must sign the contract. The electronic signature service may send a copy of the contract to the specified individuals, e.g., by email or other electronic means, or send an electronic notification to the specified individuals that the contract can be accessed and electronically signed via a website.
When routing electronic documents to an organization for signature, existing electronic signature solutions may not account for changes to the organizational structure or policies of an organization that govern which individuals in the organization have authority to execute the routed documents. For example, at a first point in time, certain individuals in an organization may have authority to sign or otherwise execute different documents on behalf of the organization. However, changes in personnel or organizational structure over time may change the authority of one or more of these individuals to execute documents on behalf of the organization (e.g., by individuals leaving the organization or being transferred to different roles in the organization having different signature authorities). Thus, an individual providing a contract or other document to the organization may provide the contract or other document for signature by individuals who are no longer authorized to sign the contract.
It may be desirable to use an electronic signature service to automatically modify electronic documents with authorized signatories or otherwise prevent signatories who have lost signature authority from executing documents.